By: Rachel Thompson
People may say, “I’m not political,” or “I don’t discuss politics,” but the fact of the matter is that we live politics daily. Now is not the time for passive politics just because the presidential election is over. Now is the time to stay engaged because it is state and local government that effects our daily lives the most. While the average Texan is currently focused on the holiday season, many legislators and lobbyists are planning to shake things up during this 89th Texas Legislative session which starts January 14, 2025, and runs through June 2, 2025.
Legislators began submit- ting bills November 12th that may impact education, immigration, health, public safety, reproductive rights, property taxes, etc. Therefore, it is important to know who our state representatives are and how to reach them.
While Republicans have the majority in both chambers, it is important to remember Henry Kissinger’s statement, “America has no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.” Using that same logic, we each have to determine our individual permanent interests, and express that interest to our elected officials regardless of their party affiliation.
The most vulnerable Texans are children. They cannot vote but experience the out- comes at school daily. During the last legislative session, the Texas Education Agency was directed to develop instructional materials for statewide use as a result of House Bill (HB) 1605. Bluebonnet Learning is what they came up with for kindergarten through fifth graders. The State Board of Education (SBOE) recently approved the curriculum that includes biblical references across grade levels. Children who are not Christians will still be expected to demonstrate mastery of the material.
Currently, the curriculum is optional and provides a $60 per student incentive to adopt it. It is very likely that this 89th session could result in a similar curriculum for secondary students, and/or make the Bluebonnet Learning curriculum mandatory instead of optional. Parents and teachers, who are also constituents, need to identify their personal interests and contact their state representatives to express their position regardless of party affiliation.
Vouchers will also be a topic that will make a comeback. There were four special ses- sions between May 2023 and December 2023 in attempts to get school vouchers passed. Again, constituents will need to identify their personal interests concerning send- ing public dollars to private schools and make their voices heard. Needless to say, vouchers will affect rural districts and high poverty school districts the most if passed by creating a deficit for those districts. The $60 per student may become more enticing for school districts that struggle financially. The bible and limited educational resources have been used historically to marginalize and control groups of people, especially those that were enslaved here in America.
Descendants of enslaved Americans largely attend public schools. This could be seen as a retro reboot of oppression. During the last session, lawmakers also passed Senate Bill (SB) 17, which eliminated public colleges and universities from having diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices or performing those functions. At a recent policy summit hosted by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R- Houston, said “Texas is far from done,” about SB 17. Bettencourt serves on the Senate Education Committee. Rep. John Bucy, D-Austin, who serves on the House Higher Education Committee, told the Austin Statesman that SB 17 and SB 18 are “major steps backwards” that “micromanage” institutions to their detriment. Next session, he hopes to repeal the anti-DEI law.
College students, who are voters, along with parents, professors, and others need to identify their personal in- terests and contact their state representatives to express their position, too. The Texas legislature is composed of 15 seats in the Texas Senate and the 150 seats in House of Representatives. Use https://wrm. capitol.texas.gov/home to find out who represents you in Texas and on the State Board of Education (SBOE).
